Do You Ever Wish You Had A Sister?

Several years ago, while at a cousin’s wedding (I don’t remember which one ~ there are a lot of those in my family haha), I got caught in a bit of an emotional moment as I watched her sisters performing something together in her honour. It was funny and sweet, and you just knew there were heaps of memories made in preparation of this performance. And it got me. I wondered what that kind of sibling relationship is like and specifically, what that sisterhood feels like. And in the moment my eyes started welling with tears, another cousin (who has two sisters of her own) leaned over and asked, *Do you ever wish you had a sister?” 

All. the. time.

There isn’t any part of me that begrudges the life or sibling dynamic I have (at all), but I have been surrounded by close sibling groups my entire life and although I have been lucky enough to be made to feel a part of many of them, it’s still just not the same. 

It’s like I belong to two puzzles, one complete and another, just a pile of pieces. I can’t even see them but I know they are there. I don’t know what picture they will create or how I’ll actually fit, if at all. I just know there is this puzzle here and I can’t put it together on my own. 

But one week ago, everything changed.

Within minutes of hearing back from my first cousin (matched through DNA composition with 23andMe), I learned that I have a sister (+ husband) and two brothers (one + wife and soon to be two children) on my birth dad’s side. What the what!? I’ve been one of two children my entire life and now suddenly, I’m 1/5….one of FIVE!! AND I have two nieces (one due next week)…..oh my heart. My cousin made contact first with my birth dad then at his request, made contact with each of my siblings to tell them the wild news. It really is so so wild. My sister reached out that same evening and my one brother just a few days later, and we have enjoyed some great times getting to know each other with random facts and childhood memories. I even had the opportunity to call my birth dad on Sunday which was really crazy and cool. I’ve imagined this my entire life – and suddenly it’s here. I’m in this and it’s all happening; the pieces are coming together.

I’ve learned that I have the same favourite colour as my birth dad (green), a few of us are scared of heights and don’t like rides, I am the shortest (my brothers are both around 6′), we cheer for the same hockey and baseball teams, we hate winter (except my sister who loves the snow…she’s obviously a little crazy haha), and apparently I sound and laugh just like her. Haha….wild! 

And can I just say, they are seriously all amazing. AMAZING!! I came into this with no expectations but they have absolutely blown me away with their openness to and excitement about having a sister. Mark my words, there are great times ahead! 

I am so blessed.

I apologize for not posting names or photos. This isn’t a story that affects only me and as such, I feel a responsibility to protect them as well, especially while we are just in the beginning stages. Also yes, they are technically half siblings as we only share one parent….but what does half even matter? My brother is my brother and we don’t share any DNA so….